Hypnotizing Viridian Eyes
by Raven Shinobi
Summary: Shion Uzuki has an unexpected encounter with a certain U.R.T.V. ShionGaignun.
1. Anomaly

**Disclaimer: I don't own Xenosaga.**

**Pairing: Shion/Gaignun (Sorry to Shion/Allen fans, I'm just a bigger fan of Gaignun and I've noticed there aren't many fics where he's the main character)**

**Also, this isn't going to be one of the most grammatically sound fics you'll come across. Though, I intend to re-read the entire thing and fix any existing mistake.**

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**Hypnotizing Viridian Eyes**

Nigredo observed the sun as it was slowly being devoured by the horizon of dusk. He knew that the captivating sight before him can be described as being as real as a mirage; there was no blazing star out there or a sky to uphold it to begin with, just an over-sized colony of nanomachines. Even an artificial colony like the Kukai Foundation needed a heat source that emulated the sun to maintain the natural equilibrium and fulfill the needs of the flora and fauna of the ecosystem.

He shook his head with a rare smile tugging on his lips; with the microorganism-sized gizmos that could perform any task imaginable from healing simple wounds to cleansing the environment atom by atom, humans could be attributed of being as plenipotentiary as God. But Nigredo knew from the books and ancient stone tablets that he and his older brother liked to collect that embracing that arrogant belief was the prelude to humanity's undoing... and the proof to this statement was what remained of his scattered race that roamed the universe like nomads, desperately seeking out the Zohars and the scientific diary of a madman to tame the ominously mysterious relics that caused anyone who touched it to vanish into oblivion --just like a candle-flame that's kindled and then being snuffed out by the same blow of wind-- in hope to locate and reinhabitate humanity's mother land, Lost Jerusalem.

The train of Gaignun thoughts came to a sudden halt, and he reflexively turned around as the door to his room whished open to reveal a confused, dumbfounded red hair that he recognized as Shion--that Vector employee that had been an enigm to him ever since their first meeting.

"S-Sorry." Shion finally stuttered as she shyly averted her eyes, and bowed apologetically after a moment of collecting her demeanor, "I entered the wrong room!"

Since they will be staying in the foundation for a while, Jr. thought it was inappropriate that they remain within the window-less living quarters of the Durandal and invited everyone to stay at their building that served both as the foundation's HQ and Jr and Gaignun's abode. chaos on the other hand returned to the apartment that he was sharing with the rest of the Elsa crew. Although the U.R.T.V.s' home was only one floor, it was like a maze with a door leading to an unknown room at every corner. She then straightened her posture and nodded her head politely as she was about to exit the room.

"Would you like to join me for tea, Ms. Uzuki?" Shion froze in her tracks at the sound of the unexpected invitation. She turned around and found herself eyes-glued with the Director's mesmerizing blank ones... not even a ripple of emotion was spreading over their viridian surface, unlike the sapphire orbs of Jr. that reflected vivacity or Albedo's malice-filled amethysts. She felt a tingle running up her spine, but in that moment felt her tongue knotted to voice out her decline; she had promised Allen to meet him at that cafe that Shelly recommended to him; her poor subordinate that supported and watched over her all along this bumpy journey didn't deserve to be neglected and dumped again... but the Director's gentle voice resonated in her ears like the strumming of a harp, and despite of her, she felt herself like a stray sailor that was being lured to a siren's death trap.

"I'd love to, thank you." Shion felt her mind that became hypnotized by what he said earlier making the decision for her as she bowed again in acceptance, and strode over with her hands bound in front of her to sit on the ornate chair that Gaignun gentlemanly helped her to it.

"What kind of tea do you relish?" Gaignun inquired as he poured hot water into both cups.

"I'm more of a coffee person!" Shion replied modestly with a swift wave of her hand, "So anything you recommend is fine."

Gignun's mouth curled up slightly as he began emptying the sachet's content into their both cups, and while he was occupied by that Shion examined the room around her until her eyes landed on the king-sized bed, the quilt was as green as his eyes, she then suddenly retracted her gaze as her cheeks tinted beet red; what was she thinking agreeing to drink tea in a man's bedroom? What will the others think of her when they see her getting out of here? Her reputation will be placed on a questionable pedestal.

Gaignun who kept watching her with hooded eyes couldn't help but smirk as he processed her bashful display; _did she think that he invited her here to seduce her into his bed?_ And finally handed her her cup, the reason why he had invited her was to confirm his suspicions; Shion Uzuki who was supposed to be an ordinary human had been able to hear The Song of Nephilim that only Realians and _above average_ humans like himself and his brother could hear, even Jr. was beginning to develop suspicions of his own after that incident; Shion had been attacked by Gnosis countless of times and she yet never undergone the whitening process or showed traces of mutating into one of those inscrutable entities, and according to the Elsa crew her hand shined brightly in the same manner as the 100-series MOMO when they were ambushed by the swarm of gnosis before Jr retrieved them and seized the last Zohar emulator, he wanted to quiet down those nagging suspicions of her once and for all.

"Have we met before Ms Uzuki?" Gaignun inquired, getting a befuddled expression on her face in response to his question, and he resumed clarifying, "your eyes gleamed with recognition when we first met in the park of the Durandal.", he clearly remembered the confusion in her eyes as she mouthed 'Jr' under her breath, only observational realians can sense and analyze a person's genome, he only could surmise by her queer reaction in that moment that she managed to sense the similarity, yet the diversity between his and Jr's genetic structure.

_'Now that you mention it.' _Shion inwardly replied, she couldn't describe why she was overcome by that eerie sense of deja-vu when she first met Gaignun that later on led to her investigation on the real relation that was between him and Jr, of course she later on found out about that after The Song of Nephilim when the U.M.N. provided her with a coverage on the U.R.T.V. bio weapon, but still; it didn't answer the 'Why' part of her question.

"I don't know why I've felt that way in that moment." Shion smiled with a shrug, and innocently stated as she locked her eyes with his as she supported her chin on her folded fingers, "maybe we have met in a previous life."

"Do really feel that way?" Gaignun replied with amusement in his voice and eyes as he folded his arms under his chest, and Shion was fascinated as the man before her held her gaze with his sinfully beautiful viridian ones, Gaignun Kukai was indeed a very good-looking man...not quite as handsome as Tony and he didn't appear to be as built as Ziggy, but there was something about him that attracted the woman to him like the opposite pole of a magnet, she felt tingles in her chest, reminding her of the first time she talked with Kevin, no man had ever evoked these tickling emotions in her since her deceased boyfriend, God how she missed him.

Gaignun concluded by Shion's reaction that the woman was either a talented actress or there were pages of her past that had been either expunged off her memory or laid dormant in the darkest depths of her sub consciousness, and that was when he decided to go for the gusto as the eyes that Shion had been admiringly observing suddenly brightened several hues of green, mentally paralyzing her.

Suddenly, Shion felt something violently vibrating in the inner pocket of her cropped jacket, breaking the one-way telepathic link that Gaignun was trying to establish with her with his hypnotism, her hand then hastily reached for her rampaging cell phone.

"Hello? This is Shion Uzuki speaking."

_"Hi, um..is something wrong chief?" _and as Shion heard the caller's voice she closed an eye with a grimace; she had been already late to her date with Allen and it will take like half an hour to find a cab and arrive to the designated place!

"Nothing wrong, I just got suddenly occupied by an urgent matter, I'll be right there Allen!", and with that Shion swiftly got up and bowed to her host.

"Sorry; I got to go."

"You can use one of my automobile to get you where you want to go." Gaignun offered to her, "I'll inform the receptionist downstairs."

"Thank you." Shion gave him a warm smile, and beamed "and thanks for the tea, you've got to accept my invitation next time in return!"

"I'll be looking forward to it." Gaignun nodded, and watched as the door whished close in front of her, leaving him alone to his musing, surprisingly to him he really did like her company; Shion Uzuki was a charismatic woman, who her beauty and charm was shrouded by those hideous big glasses and her childish hair-do, he'll be indeed looking forward to their next meeting to render clear the fog of mystery that was surrounding her.

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**A/N: I hope you've enjoyed my first take on a Xenosaga fic, I've tried my best to keep both of Gaignun and Shion in character, so comments regarding that are highly welcome. I might add a sequel to it based on Episode II if you want me to continue it.**

**Peace**


	2. Rider of the Black Horse

**Disclaimer: I don't own Xenosaga.**

**Pairing: Shion/Gaignun.**

**A/N: the idea of Gaignun and Jr. wearing the same suit was inspired by one of the chapters of _lady tecuma's _fic _Trinity_.**

**Note: like in my other fics: sentences in italic are inner thoughts, the ones in bold/italic are telepathic messages between Gaignun and Jr. **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Two - Rider of the Black Horse**

Gaignun murmured his thanks to the waitress as she offered him a glass, and leaned his head back on the marble pillar that he was stationing against, observing before him with half-lidded eyes the quotient of today's hectic preparations -he had just signed a contract with Vector to start supplying them with the enhanced realian combat model, and Helmer always insisted on them to pamper the representatives of the pioneer conglomerate like royalties and shower them with accommodations, the excuse for this evening's gala, he couldn't blame Helmer's zealous sense of gratitude though, if it weren't for Vector's testimony fourteen years ago, their guardian would've been in quite a tumult, and Rubedo and himself could have eventually fallen into the clutches of the black sheeps of the federation parliament and then into the U-TIC Organization's, life truly took it easy on them so far. He closed his eyes as he let out an exhausted sigh, all he desired after resigning to the comfort of his room was indulging in a scalding hot bath and have someone massaging the kinks off his fatigued body.

His circulating thoughts around Vector and cravings led his eyes to settle on the delectable object of his recent musing. He took a sip of the drink in his hand, not tearing his gaze off her as he relished the velvet vinosity of the liquid, and let his eyes rove lethargically over the snug material of her one-shoulder dress that outlined with precision that would wildly stimulate the male perverse imagination the topographies of her supple figure, scarlet really meshed well with the chocolate brown shade of her tresses, and he felt himself wanting to reach for it to brush his fingers through the invitingly silky locks, his mind then drifted a little further as a buoyant smile danced on the edge of his lips, stirring his drink in his hand as he imagined them wafted on his pillow, beneath him, his eyes momentarily shut as he envisioned her arms yearningly engirdle his neck and drawing him for a passionate kiss.

_"Why do you intrigue me so?"_

He wondered as he became self-conscious of his eyes that unremittingly and questionably kept monitoring with scrutiny -like a predator waiting for the right moment to deliver the fatal strike at its struggling prey- every passing expression on her face.

_"She is indeed an herbivore that is walking inadvertently into the haven of beasts."_

Since the opportunity to excavate the depths of her psyche hadn't represent itself to him yet, he decided to do his own homework on her to alleviate some of his raging curiosity –Born in 4655 T.C. on Old Miltia, the second off-spring of the union between a military officer and a mother who was suffering from hypersensitivity to the synchronicity of the U.M.N. -the same as Sakura- and watched her family being slaughtered by transmuted realians before her childish eyes, the information that piqued his interest the most about her family history was how she and her elder brother Jin were a little far-off in age with no siblings in between, the same as how he and Jr. were perceived by the masses, he investigated the possibility that she might have been adopted by the Uzuki's, but couldn't find any reliable thread that would lead to the chances of that. All the facts that he managed to gather about her origins didn't aid much in dissipating the miasma of inscrutability that was engulfing her persona, but in the other hand made him empathize with the poor girl; she had witnessed horrors similar to what he had went through as a child. The details encompassing her access to the First R&D Division were the hardest of all to acquire and the most ambiguous -Vector's policy insisted on recruiting only the cream of the crop, he wondered about what exactly had justified placing her with the heavy weight of the KOS-MOS project at such a verdant age? Did it have something to do with the dormant power that he had detected within her?

_"I wonder if the Vector CEO is up to something."_

His face turned several shades of paleness as she suddenly caught his dissecting gaze from the corner of her eyes, pausing the seemingly engrossing conversation she was having with that whiney Vector employee who was always seen trailing behind her wherever she went like some lost puppy, and watched as she slowly in response turned her head inspecting towards him, and to his surprise -as her perplexed emerald eyes met his viridian ones, she averted her face with a blush coloring her cheeks. He stifled a chuckle as he surmised by her diffident reaction that the dainty creature in the center of his field of vision wasn't and hadn't become quite used to the appreciative leers the men were beginning to send her way, now that she was superficially reborn. He remembered when he explicitly raised a brow in befuddlement and curiosity as she made her entrance at the U.M.N. Administrations Bureau without her trade mark geeky glasses when they were attempting to extract the Y-Data from MOMO, he had speculated back then that she had become either blind or undergone the laser surgery. He hadn't voiced it out to Jr., but he wondered if her old preference could be related to the somewhat conspicuous reason behind allowing her into the First R&D division, and might have provided her with a sense of confidence and security behind a pair of magnifying lens, the presumptuous proof of studiousness and intellect.

_**"Gaignun and Shion sitting on a tree!"**_

Gaignun's face flushed with embarrassment as his older brother's gleeful teasing suddenly echoed in his mind, and turned his head toward the source of the mental message to spot Jr. by the buffet with MOMO by his side, waving at him with a fork in his hand and a plate in the other, clad in the black suit replica to his own with the matching under-vest and striped dark blue and green tie that Shelly and Mary had picked up for them to 'bring out both colors of their eyes'. He struggled to contain a blush accompanied by a disapproving clenching of his teeth as he watched his mischievous brother suggestively wriggle his brows at him with a lingering wink as he took a bite of his sausage. He wondered with urgency since when had he been prying on his thoughts? Did he witness what he had been fantasizing about?

_**"I could distract Allen for you so you could seclude yourself with her."**_

Gaignun was about to turn down the absurd suggestion with a few choice words of scolding as he realized what he was being offered -with his brother keeping an eye on Allen, he wouldn't have to keep his ears peeled for any possible interruption while he took his time to lure the naive woman into the entangling webs of his hypnotism.

_**"Are you sure she isn't romantically involved with him?"**_

**_"Are you kidding? She's completely oblivious to all of his pathetic attempts to score with he. I bet she'll cringe at the image of her with that dweeb!"_**

Gaignun tittered despite of himself at his brother's heated tone -he was fully aware of Jr.'s predisposition and malignant tendencies towards Allen for the way he had badmouthed the Kukai foundation just after the Durandal saved his sorry hide, Jr. never tattled about that, but his brother's thoughts weren't well-barricaded whenever something stirred the serenity of his mood, Jr. was kind at heart, but he hardly could forgive and forget an insult.

**_"You'd better not try anything humiliating -being an employee of Vector he's still a respected guest." _**He sternly prompted, and watched with amusement as his brother tugged on Mary's arm to whisper covertly into her ear, this should be entertaining.

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"Is something wrong chief?" Allen unsurely inquired as he saw her suddenly halt the conversation, and turned his head to inspect toward the source of the disturbance only to be met by director Gaignun, and watched with a defeated frown as the redness accumulated in the cheeks of the woman of his dreams -she never blushed for him, no matter what favor he so willingly performed or what words he so selectively said to her. 

"Huh? Um, nothing." His frown deepened into a mope as he watched her smile coyly and met his eyes, "you're saying Allen?"

"Nothing!" Allen replied with a whine that caused Shion to raise a brow in confusion and watched as her assistant released a startled cry as Mary Godwin all of a sudden hopped into his air and grappled his arms.

"Let's dance Allen!" She exuberantly offered, and not breaking a breath turned her inquiry towards Shion "Y'don't mind me borrowing him for a while do you?"

"Go ahead. It's not like he's my date or anything." Shion shrugged, making Allen cringe at her nonchalant tone as he submissively let himself be dragged toward the dance floor.

Gaignun watched his prey as she skimmed thecrowd around her, obviously looking for a substitute converser, and watched as she finally flipped her hair with disappointment and slowly strode away before disappearing behind the billowing translucent curtains of the balcony, his mouth curved intoa satisfied smirk, perfect.

_**"It's about time you got yourself a real girlfriend!"**_

Gaignun frowned guiltily as he heard his brother cheering him on, and reluctantly pushed himself off the pillar to follow her, if his brother only knew the true twisted face of his intensions toward his friend.

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Shion closed her eyes as she propped up her elbows on the railing, savoring this moment of what she knew to be fleeting peace as the gentle evening breezes played with her hair, recalling with stupefaction and disbelief the recent consecutive chain of strenuous and surreal events. She hadn't imagined that there was actually more to the danger that was threatening humanity's existence than meets the eye, and that the Gnosis crisis was just a current in the torrent. 

_Nephilim: "Not just for their future...but for the future of humans, non-humans, and all matter of living consciousness..."_

She puffed out her lower lip in cogitation –how could mankind's liberation be directly related to her? She was normal as far as she could remember…she spread her palms before her eyes at the doubtful thought, why did they glow in conjunction to MOMO's in response to the Gnosis presence before they all were swallowed by Cathedral ship? Could it be correlated to her being previously touched by a Gnosis? She lowered her hands back on the cold stone of the railing as she lost her focus on them, this was the only deduction that seemed possible.

Her eyes widened anxiously, will she eventually end up like that girl Betty and mutate into a Gnosis?

_Nephilim: "Shion...you were once touched by a Gnosis. Despite that, you remain unchanged, the same as before. That is why..."_

_"That's why...?"_

_Nephilim: "There will be a time when I can discuss why."_

She frowned in puzzlement; even the life recycling variants weren't immune to the touch of death of a Gnosis, just like Commander Cherenkov who had transmuted into a Gnosis before her very eyes just a few days after being grappled and almost petrified by one. What exactly was so anomalous about her that let her off the hook?

"Looking for company?"

Shion felt a shiver quake out through her being as that velvet voice slithered into her ear like the soothing melody of a nocturne, accompanied by a piquant whiff of his masculine scent that she felt gradually sedating her mind, and checked around her to find her small frame being trapped against the railing between a pair of black-clad arms.

"Director…Gaignun?" Shion inquired with timidity that surprised her as she turned around to face him; she under the normal circumstances would've instinctively elbowed anyone who attempted to sneak up on her like that. It was beyond her the peculiar duality of perturbation and tranquility that his presence always managed to induce within her, it made her somehow feel like a moth that was mesmerized by the brightness of the burning flame.

Gaignun removed his hands from the railing, taking a step back as he regarded her with a ghost of a smile that instantly tugged into its usual scowl as he noted the troubled expression on her face "Is something wrong?"

"Director Gaignun, how come the U.R.T.V.s can't be affected by Gnosis unlike the rest of the über humans and everyone else?" She surprised herself with her gauche question, but Gaignun knew her openness was the effect of his vocal manipulation.

"It's not associated with us being U.R.T.V.s. -Jr., Albedo and I are U.R.T.V. variants."

"U.R.T.V….variants?" She inquired, slowly repeating with befuddlement the odd term.

He nodded in confirmation, as much as he hated the necromancy of the events of his childhood and the despicable details it entailed he was willing to humor her curiosity for the time being if it will lead to proclaiming what he wanted to know of her "we were born into life with strong wave forms, our..." Gaignun bit his lip to refrain from following that word with 'bastard', "…father, intended for us to be special."

"Special? In what sense?" She regretted her inquiry, and cowerd a little as she watched the austere expression on his face darken into something horrific, more evident in his instantly ire-enflamed irises.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Red Dragon…Red…and precious."_

He rushed to their father to confirm his realization about his birth purpose and that along being Rubedo's tamer the rule that was reserved for him will eventually consign him to deliver a bullet to his brother's head to subdue the red beast that was lurking within him forever.

"_Nigredo, come here."_

He remembered his father's beckoning, voice warm and his reassuring words resonating in his ears like the honeyed mendacities of the devil.

"_No, I'm abandoning my mission! I WON'T FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS ANYMORE!"_

He subsequently shut his eyes as the roar of that gun shot echoed in his mind, and they reopened with a deep frown creasing his usually stoic countenance.

_Albedo:"Scary, scary! You've always been two-faced you know -offering life in the one hand and delivering death with the other."_

* * *

"Are you alright?"

That concerned voice shook away his cryptic reminiscing, and once his eyes regained focus they were met by Shion, her hand was lifted as if attempting to reach out for his face to cover his cheek with her palm, the gesture sent a strange sensation of warmth through his being.

"I'm very sorry." Her eyes cast down shamefully as she retracted her hand, "for bringing back memories that seem to preferably be left forgotten, it's just…there are things I don't understand about myself –being able to hear the song of Nephilim and other things, I thought I could deduce some clues from discussing the matter with you."

"You then owe me a dance." He proclaimed as he took her small digits in his, sensing her shiver at the contact, and covered the back of her hand with his other one "Compensate me with the pleasure of your company on the dance floor."

She blushed profusely as she sensed the thumb of the hand that was holding her fingers proddingly stroke her skin, and finally nodded meekly as she muttered her acceptance.

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**A/N: I'm considering turning this one into a series that will encompass some deep delving into the truth behind Shion's powers and Nigredo's internal conflict, but I expect –like in my other chaptered fics, that the time gap between every update and other to be kinda big. **

**I'll totally appreciate your comments on the plot and feedback on whether I'm well-handling the characterization or not, suggestions are too very welcome.**


	3. The Omega

**Disclaimer: if I owned Xenosaga I wouldn't have made the _smart_ decision of kicking Soraya Saga out of the project and demoting Takahashi. **

**A/N: underlined italic words are used for emphasis :) **

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**Chapter Three – The Omega**

A hand traced its way in the darkness for the light switch on the wall, and once guided by the dim amber light of the nightstand lamp that scattered about his destination, the dark figure strode staggeringly over to it to lay down the woman who was supported and led by the strong grip of his arm around her tiny waist.

"There Shion, we're finally home."

Gaignun muttered coaxingly as he attempted to detach the firm clutch of her hand off his shirt---and was taken aback as all of a sudden that hand pulled him onto the bed atop of her, feeling goose-pumps prickling his skin as the sudden act was followed by her snickering sexily as she traced her chin along his shoulder and upward to the curve of his neck, dipping her nose in there as she inhaled, savoring the piquant fragrance of his cologne.

"Mmmm! Poor little Shion will get _so_ lonely all by herself in this king-sized bed, _director_…" She divulged into his ear so playfully with an undertone of mischief to her drunken voice, tightening the loose cummerbund of her arms around his shoulders as one leg rose through the slit of her dress to wrap around his waist.

Gaignun growled, cursing as his body was stridently pulled a flush against her own, feeling despite of himself self-compliance to respond to the allusive invitation of her physical expression instantly surging through his being. However the man still had enough fortitude at his disposal to resist the enticement for now, and besides the woman was teetering on the brink of consciousness and it was nigh that she finally gave out and fell into the waiting arms of slumber -a little patience on his part was all it will take for the trick to work. He scowled self-chiding as he recalled the string of events that led the woman beneath him to the pathetic state she now was in –after the waltz he had walked her to the bar in intention to continue their intriguing banter that he earlier had broken with his lack of equanimity over a bottle of brandy to share between themselves –he wasn't scheming to get her drunk to inadvertently spill the beans mind you- however, he had been forced to leave her side for a while when Mary came trotting urgently toward them to drag him back like a boy late for class to his pesky guests who were wondering of his whereabouts, and after he managed to survive the redundancy of the long-assed chat that he had to humor them with, he came back to find for his surprise the Vector engineer with her unconscious head on the counter with the guilty, now empty bottle rolling back and forth with a creaking sound in its wake between the back of her head and her purse which was sitting next to it, and that was his cue to call it a day.

A genuine smile crept onto his mouth when his patience was finally paid off as his ears were dawned with the rustling sound of her soft snoring. And with caution managed to slide out of her embrace. He crouched back on the bed to briefly sit on the far corner of it to relieve her of her shoes -which for his luck weren't secured to her feet by straps, and then knelt before her sound sleeping form to tuck it with the covers as his last courteous act before resigning to his room. The tender gesture faltered as his eyes paused over the necklace that hadn't been a day he saw her without it engirdling her neck as if the prism bauble dangling from the chain was the emblem of some creed like the cross was for Christianity, or maybe some sort of a good-luck token to ward her off misfortune and hazards...

_"A periapt?" _

At that prospect one of his hands left the blanket to cup the crystalline droplet into his fingers, swishing it over as he inspected it for a moment with scrutiny, and then scowled at the absurdity of his assumption as he began tracing its indentations with his thumb.

_"The days of shamanism and witchcraft are far gone even before the catastrophe that befell Lost Jerusalem. I've heard about nanomachines that could prolong the human life span like the type father used to apply, but the thought of ones that were installed into jewelry to protect its bearer from Gnosis just sounds plain ludicrous!"_

"Kevin. Aaahhhh!"

Gaignun simultaneously released the object in his hand as if fire sprang into it and turning it to ember at the sudden sound of Shion's agonized call, and watched warily, maintaining his place and position as she briefly brought the back of her hand over her forehead, her features straining into a tortured expression, and eventually rolled over to the opposite side, giving her back to him.

* * *

" _**Kevin Winnicot, born in T.C. 4739. Former chief engineer of the KOS-MOS project, Vector Industries First R&D Division.**_

_**He was killed in T.C. 4755 during an incident when Archetype KOS-MOS went out of control. He was in charge of not only KOS-MOS' software components but the design and development of its hardware as well. The hardware for the current KOS-MOS was developed by Second Division, at a later time."**_

Gaignun skimmed through the info that he managed to gather via his special U.M.N. account while sipping his second morning coffee -being an ally of the Second Miltian Government where the U.M.N. administration bureau was stationed in and contributing to the galactic society had provided him and Jr. with a few useful perks-like being authorized to look up some confidential data that were tightly sealed away from the eyes and knowledge of the masses.

"_Former chief engineer of the KOS-MOS project -the one whom Shion certainly worked under before being handed the helm. I've heard that the First division was on pins and needles to finish the Archetype, and It's common that romantic affairs blossom between coworkers who work together till late hours of the night, that necklace must've been a gift from him. Does her wearing it still everyday of her existence indicate that she's still mourning him? A symbolism of her eternal devotion towards him?"_

His eyes lingered in cogitation over the words on the monitor for a while, and finally put his cup down on its saucer as his index finger began tapping in escalating frustration on the mouse as he gradually became aware of what he was committing -making Miss Uzuki his case study and uncovering the mystery behind her unusual abilities and the exceptional fortune that she had been bestowed with stood against all the principles he was holding onto and was turning into an unhealthy obsession that was beginning to affect him in a way he didn't like, and this -prying into her most private personal detail made him feel like a petty stalker -the type that Mary and Shelly complained about all the time. Ashamed and angry at himself, he immediately closed the U.M.N. link, resolutely intending to steer his attention away to more pressing matters. He picked up a pack of papers, some of them he uploaded into the printer and the rest were documents that were just faxed to him from Fifth Jerusalem concerning the enhancements that must be applied to the Attract-Inhibitor device and needed to be revised, signed and sent back before tomorrow's morning -the status report that was presented to him after Jr.'s run-in with the Gnosis during the Durandal's mission of investigating the disappearance of Planet Ariadne entailed that the current version of the device didn't possess adequate restraint over the Zohar Emulators, last time they were lucky, but no one could tell what kind of unstable phenomena would ensue next time if the device remained in its current lacking state. He was really looking forward to finally take a dip in _his_ private beach and just relax while enjoying the company of Jr. and the others who all of them must be there enjoying themselves at this particular moment. He sighed in dismay, it seemed that just as how yesterday had actually turned out to be another working day by devoting it into preparing for that party, he will be spending the last day of the weekend working himself to the bone.

As pondering those thoughts he felt snippets of envy beginning to nip at his heart -at these times he coveted his older brother with passion for the role he had been given by their guardian -the warrior side of him being in stasis for the past eleven years, he felt his spirit was slowly withering away from the inside-out. He really wanted to carry his weapon again, he really wanted to fight -the urge was so maddening that he sometimes felt the need to satisfy this hunger by _killing something…… -_That's right, the truth was: underneath all the veneers of that seemingly composed, disciplined demeanor the people around him were perceiving and deceived by, there was a roaring beast, rampaging in blinding rage in all directions to break out of the bar walls it had been imprisoned within to pounce with its bared, salivating fangs when it finally breaks free on the oblivious red dragon that it had sat its green eyes on.

_"Aw, is that so? Are you sure you're not hanging around Rubedo waiting for the chance to carry out your mission?"_

He squeezed his eyes shut and abruptly shook his head as his feeble attempt to dispel the wild calling he had been striving to tune out ever since he was awakened to his true mission and being professed by his father of the true purpose of being given birth the last, the reason why his waveforms weren't negatively stimulated by U-DO unlike the rest of his six hundred and sixty eight brothers and sisters -that his anti-existent wasn't U-DO, it was: _Rubedo._

An opening door's whish jarred him from his cryptic musing and listened with amusement returning to his eyes and beginning to tug on the corner of his lips to the plodding sound of the stodgy footsteps, watching as his drunken last night's partner finally emerged from the hallway in the casual outfit that she usually liked to wear -minus the elegant jacket and the golden clip in her hair, her narrowed eyes that were laced with blackness and the big pout gracing her grumpy face indicated that she just waked up with a nasty hangover, he got up off his chair with a pitying smile to prepare the curative concoction for that.

"Good morning!"

"Morning." Shion saluted back lazily as she took her seat, and watched him idly with her tired small eyes that bore above her folded arms on the dining table as he took out from the fridge a carton of tomato juice and a bottle of lemonade, her mouth curled down in disgust and immediately averted her sight from the grotesque culinary experiment that was taking place before her as he poured his cargo into the coffee remainder in the translucent percolator and began swilling the mixture around with circular motion of his hand, finally a clinking sound in front of her brought her eyes back to him.

"What's this?" She inquired lackadaisically as she stared at the now reddish brown blend presented in a small glass with a thin slice of lemon floating on the surface-a poor attempt to make it look appetizing for the poor soul who was supposed to sup it -who she presumed was her.

"Jr. recently began whipping it up whenever he had a hangover."

"Wait, don't tell me this is what we've concocted for the drones for captain Matthews drinking tribulations!" Shion blurted out in protest, almost laughing out the words.

"Just seal your nose and swig it down your throat!" Gaignun prompted, smiling faintly.

"You're kidding me!" Shion murmured in a sing-song voice as she picked up the glass and heeded his instructions; the headache that was pulsating in her head was so intense that it won't surprise her if the veins and capillaries running through her brain will burst from the pressure of the pain----and verbalized her repugnance in the aftermath as she stuck her tongue out at the traces of the horrid taste that lingered in her mouth and throat, almost shattering the glass as she sat it down on the table.

"Here!" Gaignun couldn't help chuckling at her candid display as he handed her a bottle of water to neutralize it, and watched as she immediately snatched it off his hand and greedily drank from it.

"Umm..."

Gaignun became alert as she held the now empty bottle with a look of anxiety on her face, not meeting his eyes as she nervously voiced out her apprehension, "Last night at the party..." She looked up at him as she began waving her hand, gesticulating her self-vindication for what she was about to say "Whatever stupid thing I pulled in the _absence of my sanity_, it doesn't in no way reflect how..."

"You dozed off on the counter." Gaignun interjected reassuringly.

"Thank God!" Shion breathed out in relief as she closed her eyes and sank back on the chair, but didn't allow her self to relax for long as she recalled the next worry on her mind, and lent forward on the table again, interlacing her fingers as she stated nervously " I-I just want to clarify to you that I'm in way an alcoholic, and I swear that the last time and first time I got myself drunk was in my eighteenth birthday."

"Don't be hard on yourself, we are all humans -there are times when we fall to the devil's temptation." Gaignun reassured, smiling at what she stated last -it made him recall his late adolescence before he'd been appointed director of the Kukai Foundation-he had still been the reserved, placid guy he was now, but back then there were a few occasions when he allowed himself to let loose when it came to both liquor and the opposite sex -he almost let out a chuckle as he remembered Jr. showering him with many questions worth of curiosity about women and sex in the morning after the night he'd lost his virginity.

Shion blushed -despite his benevolence with her and Allen -which she always assumed he was treating them this kindly under the orders of Representative Helmer, because they were from Vector- and him acting like some sort of big brother toward MOMO who seemed to be getting along with him pretty well, Gaignun kind of scared her and his presence tended to make her feel at an unease, those beautiful viridian orbs of his always makes her feel that it could see through her being and view her deepest buried secrets, but she had no idea he _really_ was this considerate and sweet! You truly can't tell the contents of a book by merely looking at its cover.

"I hope you're in the mood for some breakfast. What would you like to have? Eggs with bacon, or maybe some French toast with..." Gaignun inquired as he took out some aluminum containers out of a bag that was entitled _'Royal Orleans'_, and Shion cupped her cheeks with her palms smiling warmly -like most single zillionaires, Gaignun and Jr. were having a contract with some fancy restaurant to supply them with food for all the three meals, she wondered why someone as absolutely attractive as Gaignun wasn't married yet, or at least with a girlfriend-she'd heard the public's whispered chitchats of him supposedly being involved with both or either one of the Godwin sisters, but she had yet to witness anything between the three that would support those rumors, he even didn't happen to take one of the sisters hand for the waltz last night---her smile faded-she was the only one who had been privileged with the honor.

"Well, Shion?" Gaignun turned around after he'd cited every choice in today's menu, startling the addressed woman off her reverie.

"P-Pancakes with maple syrup will be fine!" She smiled nervously, and inquired after a composing cough "By the way, where's everyone?"

"They've been up early and headed to the beach."

Shion rose her brow incredulously "And Allen headed with them too?" Gaignun scowled, he couldn't explain it, but her inquiry about the man who was aiming for her heart struck a sensitive cord in him, he struggled to maintain an even tone as he replied, "yes, why?" and was bewildered when Shion laughed as she intertwined her fingers under her chin.

"It's just I'm surprised how they've managed to talk him into it without seeing if I'll be going too!" She then fixated her eyes on him as she resumed "I've never thought when I walked out of that door that you'll be the one tending to my hangover and serving me breakfast."

Gaignun turned around before she could spot the blush that was creeping onto his face, and prepared her plate. It seemed that his impish brother was still enjoying the game of hooking him up with Shion and turned it into one of his current hobbies; he'd left early on purpose, dragging a protesting Allen with him to leave him alone with her -which forced him to move his work to the kitchen so he could attend to her needs, but he wasn't complaining considering he felt partially responsible for her condition.

* * *

**A/N: I have a good idea how this fic would end, but I'm still suffering from a bit of writer's block regarding what happens till that moment. I'm not intending for this to be a long fic -I estimate it will seven-ten chapters maximum with a nice epilogue, but I can promise that each of the future chapters will be above 2000 words in length and not stuffed with unnecessary fillers.**

**I've noticed that 'Moby Dick' the restaurant and the 'Communication Breakdown' track (the one that plays when Albedo seizes the Y-Data, and during the appearance of Abel's Ark ) were named after songs by Led Zeppelin, and that has inspired me to name the restaurant that Gaignun and Jr. have a contract with after one of their songs. **

**Don't hesitate to tell me what you thought of this chapter, I really need some guidance on whether I'm still doing well with this story or not .**


	4. Empathy

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Chapter Four – Empathy

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"Oh, don't mind me Allen." Shion reassured her caller as she closed the door to her room, with her cell phone sandwiched between her ear and shoulder for her other hand was loaded with her connection gear and storage diskettes that were pressed against her midsection to keep them from scattering and falling.

"_But chief, I really want to help. I don't think I can completely enjoy myself knowing you're working yourself to the bone at thevery moment."_

"No!" She interjected as she strode down the corridors "I've been dragging you around halfway across the galaxy and getting you into troubles that could've gotten us both fired. Just take this opportunity to relax and wipe work off your mind for the rest of the day." She then exclaimed in finality "That's an order from your superior!"

"_But chief.."_

"Gotta go Allen!" She winced with a twinge of guilt as she quickly ended the call to spare her self the upcoming protesting and persuasion session.

"You're not heading to the beach?" Gaignun inquired in perplexity as he watched Shion returning from her room with her connection gear instead of a bag draped over her shoulder as he was expecting when she left him earlier.

"KOS-MOS has been acting up lately." Shion averted her eyes as she lied, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear as she logged in and began typing with an envying speed. "After surviving HQ's wrath ofme crossing my authorities redline and going as far as making a copy of a high classified datato hand it over to another party without their prior permission, the last thing I want to get fired for is my laziness to submit periodical reports." -She wasn't really in such a hurry, seeing as they'll be stuck in this place for a while, considering the foundation was currently anchored in another star system away from the Dammerung and even Second Miltia, but after watching how he so considerately looked after her this morning and feeling embarrassed of how her drunky state had forced him to leave the party sooner than intended, she didn't want him to be the only one who will be stuck doing work in the weekend and the thought of what he will think or say about it in case he knew made the redness of diffidence color her cheeks .

"But I bet sitting under the blue sky while being caressed by the salty breeze and surrounded by everyone's laughter would make a better working environment than my home's kitchen!" He quipped.

"Yeah, but no one would leave you be if they noticed you're not joining in their fun."

"I see your point." Gaignun chuckled concurringly.

She just smiled in response, this conversation took her back to the first and the last time she was there, remembering being caught by an indignant Jr.as the three of them were speculating on the origin of his paternity, she got to admit she was surprised though; when they were invited to temporarily reside in the abode of their U.R.T.V. friend and his single sibling, she expected from the rumors about the latter that she heard being exchanged between the staff in the Durandal seeing Shelly and Mary or a different woman come and go by the end and beginning of everyday, but she had no idea that one of the most sought out youngest, wealthiest not to mention sexiest bachelors had committed himself to such life of celibacy. She wondered if distancing himself from that kind of pleasure with the opposite sex had to do with his dark past and supernatural powers, that will surely terrify the masses if they ever found out about his heritage, humans always feared what was out of the ordinary and what can't be explained by simple words.

She rested her cheek on her propped up hand on the table as the other one kept typing on the keys of the holographic keyboard -it was strange that until now the same thought about herself never crossed her mind, now that it seemed she was another one of those "Variants", she wondered if her friends and colleagues in Vector actually feared her in the inside and would distance themselves from her once she returned home now they knew of her compatibility with the E.S. units, Allen on the other hand didn't seem to give it that much of a thought, he even told her after they came back from KOS-MOS' encephalon when she seemed so troubled by what Nephilim and Feb told her in there _"The chief is the chief, and nothing will change that no matter what you can do what the rest of us can't." _She narrowed her eyes in suspicion as her fingers stopped typing and instead began tapping the margin of the keyboard; come to think of it Allen also didn't face any problem when he was co-piloting E.S. Dinah before KOS-MOS had joined them after they escaped from the Dammerung. Her eyes averted from the monitor as the mystery got all the more convoluted on her -those U.R.T.V. brothers, chaos, Ziggy, that woman who ambushed them on their way to the U.M.N. administration bureau in that E.S. with the spear and even her brother Jin, just what was the nexus that connected all of them to be able to handle those metallic behemoths unlike the rest? Her brother would just act dumb and attempt to change the subjects whenever she brought it up to him, but she knew better.

"Is this the new RIOS model that you have there?"

"Huh? Y-yeah." She stuttered as his inquiring voice startled her from her musing.

"I've seen it in one of Vector's promotional catalogues and it caught my eyes with its pocket size-friendly features and mobility, this will especially be practical for me and my staff whenever one of us is away from a U.M.N. node."

"Only our Division was provided with this model just before we were deployed with Federation Fleet to retrieve the last Zohar Emulator, so it's possible it arrived to the market." She wondered how many weeks had it been since they escaped from her first encounter with the Gnosis, everything after that incident just seemed it happened and passed so fast.

"So, what are we going to have for lunch?"

* * *

"You're a meanie Jr.!"

Jr. closed an eye reflexively as it suddenly was hit by a French fry and wiped the grease and salt with his fingers as he heard the old cyborg guy calmly chiding their realian comrade from his place beside her on the table.

"It's not commendable to play with food MOMO."

"We should've waited for Shion until she wakes." MOMO resumed scolding him "And what's with you dragging poor Allen along against his protests and shoving him out of the door and into the car?"

Jr. just scowled defiantly as he eyed from the corner of his eyes the aforementioned man who was seated with chaos in the opposite side of the crowded eating hall of the fast food restaurant that they stopped by to have lunch before heading for the arcades, the corner of his mouth curved up condescendingly as the wimpy guy sequentially turned his face nervously toward him, as if sensing his eyes and the repulsion that filled them on him. He winced as the kick to his leg brought him back from his trance and barked heatedly **"What!"**

"It's not nice to ignore someone when they speak to you seriously!" MOMO rebuked crossing her arms over her chest, and shook her head as she sighed hopelessly "I can't believe how inconsiderate you can be at times."

"The Shion that you're lamenting her absence and accusing me of leaving her behind is actually has her hands full right now typing work reports." Jr. retorted grouchily.

"Shion bought a new swimsuit for today when she went to buy the dress for the party yesterday." MOMO rebutted, narrowing her amber eyes at him skeptically.

"Go ahead and call her if you don't believe me or why don't you ask Mr. Assistant over there!" Jr. suggested heatedly as he pulled his phone abruptly out of his coat inner pocket and slid it on the table at her direction and pointed at Allen before challengingly mirroring the way she was sitting and eyeing him, he was lucky enough that his ears had picked up and was able to interpret the conversation that that guy had with Shion to save him from this predicament, and shrugged complacently as the amber eyes that was looking back at him changed from incredulousness to bafflement as if she was missing something -he was glad that it wasn't KOS-MOS that he was dealing with at the moment for her OS will be able to see through the illogicality of Allen's insistence that they should wait for her to go together instead of remaining to assist her on working on the supposed reports, but either way, he will be proved honest in the end thanks to Shion's decision to remain at home for the rest of the day, he wondered excitedly as how his brother had it going at the moment, he scowled doubtfully; his brother was too courteous to make a move and Shion was just plain dense to discern an attempt at a flirtation, those two were desperate for a third party involvement to get close to one another, he wondered if it will be such a good idea to also enlist MOMO on his matchmaking operation along with the Godwin sisters, since between his brother and the Vector boy she adored Gaignun and she seemingly saw him as a big brother figure, since he was always showering her with his concern and consideration, he bet she will get thrilled at the prospect of scouting a bride for him, he smirked as that thought made up his mind.

"Just what are you smiling about?" MOMO inquired in a clipped tone as she watched him as his sapphire eyes lit up with connivance back at her.

"Nothing." Jr. replied on the verge of chuckling as he eyed away, he will divulge the matter with her when the old guy was away from her, since he knew he will surely dissuade his charge from meddling with other people's affairs.

* * *

"I wonder what the chief is doing at the moment." Allen wondered despondently as he put his burger down, unable to force himself to take another bite. 

"Director Gaignun is the perfect gentleman." chaos reassured in his ever somber, wise voice, fathoming the concern behind his partner's query "I assure you he's not the type that would take advantage of a woman's seclusion with him."

Allen kept silent, their deadlines were not due yet and KOS-MOS hasn't been acting up lately, so there wasn't that much to tell in their periodical reports, he wondered if the thing that had the chief remaining home had something to do with Director Gaignun, his suspicions were confirmed all the more when correlating them with how comfortable the two seemed last night in each other's company. He lowered his head as he commented with a sad smile after a moment of musing on his reality with her.

"She's like a jewel which cannot be stolen or a treasure locked up in the vault of a sunken ship that can never be reached. I've loved her ever since I got to know more about her after she joined the First Division, I've always admired her kindness, diligence and devotion, I kept my distance after finding out she was actually dating our chief engineer before he passed away, as I watched him making her smile with that happiness and serenity on her face I always wondered if I was able to invoke such peaceful feelings within her like he did, but I..." He paused for a moment, unable to articulate what he wanted to say before resuming "I…can tell that she's aware of my concealed feelings toward her despite her act of ignorance toward my attempts, her constant indifference during the past two years was her answer that I wouldn't accept to the possibility of any chance at romance between us." He lifted his eyes to face his partner as he scoffed at himself with a chuckle "You must be bored and tired out of your mind of me whining and reiterating this over and over."

"It's ok, it doesn't bother me a bit." chaos reassured with a warm smile and stated inwardly _"I also know what it's like to cope up and live with the pain of desiring something that is right in front of you that you could never have."_

"You're too kind. I don't know why it's so easy to talk to you chaos, even about such a personal matter like this one."

* * *

"What's this smell?" Jr. sniffed the air as they as soon as they stepped into their home were greeted by an appetizing aroma. 

"Smells like the chief's curry." Allen stated as he recognized the smell and followed the other three as they headed for the kitchen and were greeted by the sight of Shion donning an apron in front of the stove while Gaignun were seated on the dining table with his eyes fixated on the monitor of his connection gear, he murmured as soon as their presence became noted.

"You're back."

"You're cooking for tonight." Jr. directed his inquiry at Shion.

"Wouldn't you like a homemade meal for a change?" Shion arched a brow.

"Don't misinterpret me, my mouth is watering!" Jr. beamed as he dumped his luggage on the ground and took off his trench coat, throwing it on the couch as he walked and knelt behind his brother to take a look at what he was busy with "Let me take care of the half."

"I thought you hated the paperwork and would always sneak your way out of it." Gaignun smirked as his fingers kept typing.

"I just want you to be in the mood to take a break and taste Shion's handmade delicacy and besides, with this heap divided between the both of us I'm sure we'll be done before bedtime." Jr. rebutted innocently, which made Gaignun mutter indignantly back at him.

"Devious little bastard."

"Be more respectful when you're talking to your big brother, _baby brother_." Jr. quipped teasingly as he sat on the chair beside him and grabbed from the unfinished stack.

"Well don't just stand there." Shion exclaimed eyeing her assistant "Allen take the plates and utensils out of the cupboard and prepare the table and MOMO come help with the salad." She then directed her orders toward the siblings "Would you gentlemen continue your work somewhere else?"

"I really love this part of the day." Jr. commented as he picked up his papers and walked with his brother toward the office "It reminds me when all of us used to gather in the mess hall in the Institute and had our meals together." He laughed at the other memory "Too bad we can no longer participate in food fights!"

Gaignun smiled, a part of him missing those far, gone carefree days, remembering how Albedo who hated his veggies would always start those brawls by mashing with that conniving little smirk on his face his share with the spoon and then round and divide the mass with his hands into small balls to hurl them at the bunch who always bullied the three of them, sequentially turning the mess hall into a mini war ground and what always got him away with their father's grounding was no one could point out who had started the fight, with how their devilish middle brother bounded his hand behind his back and acting all angelic as the old man interrogated them after he received the news and all what that beguiling front was missing to complete the picture was a halo above his head. Yeah, he also began looking at this part of the day in that same light ever since Shion and MOMO became members of their household.

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**A/N: My writer's blocks kind of dissipated after playing a little of Ep1 for nostalgia sake, I'll try to speed up the updating process for this fic, since I really want to finish it before Ep3 is released, at least in North America. I hope you've enjoyed my little new year gift for you all of you Shion/Gaignun fans out there, your thoughts on how it turned out will be appreciated.**


	5. Banter

**A/N: this chapter is dedicated to _Gaginun Girl_, thanks for all the encouraging messages :D****

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Chapter Five – Banter

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"Dammit."

Gaignun berated lowly as he heard the email chime from his connection gear, announcing the arrival of a new message.

"I'm your ward alright, but not also your slave. I'm sacrificing legitimate free time and weekends in order to run this foundation on your behalf and for the greater good, so at least be mindful of the three hours time-difference between this space region and Miltia _**and stop flooding me with your orders past my work time already**!"_

He sighed as he decided to ignore it for the time being as his nails tapped the side of his tea cup to check upon its heat before picking it up with its saucer nursed on the other hand to pivot himself on his swivel chair to face the unmissable sight of the foundation, slowly being colored with the golden and reddish hues of the setting sun, a _real _setting sun that was not the reconstruction of billions of lumps of nanomachines -Shelly had intentionally commanded that the entire foundation be tilted a little backwardly to elude the unmerciful heat that the solar star that he was now beholding radiated that could disturb the adjusted interior heat of the of the colony.

Unlike the imitation that was created by technology, the rays of the real thing were bright against his eyes like a torch, and lukewarm against his skin like a comforter, that soothing sensation reminded him of his childhood settlement planet Zavarov, when he and his older two brothers would hang out in the gardens, bathed in the golden light of the afternoon sun after being cooped up for hours within the dive pods, passing the time until dusk chitchatting and planning dinner's and tomorrow's pranks.

"_Hmm, this green tea is bitter, but surprisingly refreshing!"_

He inwardly commented as taking another sip of the herbal beverage that Shion had recommended to him to 'flush out his accumulated stress at the end of the day and relax him', whether that statement was based on a scientific find or was just an archaic recipe in the Uzuki family it proved none the less to be quite credible.

He placed aside his empty cup and rested his chin on his knuckled arms that was propped on the arm set as he mused on the suffocating circumstances that were wearing down on his endurance and stealing away his social life from him. Ever since the retrieval of the last Zohar Emulator, official demands and predicaments had been deluging on the foundation, it was as though the entire universe had been given some cue and commenced accelerating towards something and that the galaxy federation and even the immigrant fleet were the white and black pieces of a chess game that were meticulously manipulated by someone who was operating behind the scenes, but who could be benefiting from plunging the entire galactic community into chaos?

"Fu..." he cut himself off in the middle of that heinous word as he heard the intercom peeping and shook his head chastisingly -he always castigated Jr. to watch his tongue around the others, especially MOMO whenever he opens his mouth, but since old habits cannot die that easily he just reminded him to loose the reins on the obscene language only around him or the Godwin sisters. It was quite bothersome, always feeling the obligation to make the example for the older, but rash brother, but he couldn't help but feel empathy in the end towards someone who shouldn't and at the same time should act his true age. He quickly composed his seething self and clicked on the answering button as he replied flatly.

"What is it Tsubaki?"

_"Sorry to disturb you Mr. Kukai, but your house guest Ms Shion Uzuki is requesting to see you."_

Bewilderment replaced the contained exasperation on his face, but quickly regained his composure as he issued, "send her in. You can leave once your work is done, I'll be fine."

_"Thank you sir. Have a nice evening."_

And once the communication ended, Gaignun hastily tidied up the papery mess on his desk, all the time wondering what was the reason behind this unexpected visit and briskly sat back on his chair with his fingers intertwined on his stomach as he heard the double door to his office whish open.

"I hope I didn't come in such a bad time!" Shion beamed apologetically once she stepped in.

"Not at all," he replied cogitatively as he got up, picking up his empty tea cup and walked over to the hospitality cart that housed the confectionary and caffeinated beverages, "what can I serve you to?"

"Coffee will be fine!" she replied, taking one of the leather seats in front of his desk.

"You went shopping?" he inquired, eyeing the bag that she had tucked by the metal stands of her chair as he handed her cup and placed a small plate of cookies on the glass coffee table in front of her.

"A shopping spree to put it accurately," she gave the two sugar sachets that came with her saucer a few abrupt waves before tearing them to dump its content in her steaming brew, "I'll make sure to invest this opportunity to make up for the hectic two years that I've been cooped up day and night between the plain walls of First Division and pamper myself with the finest luxury that this colony can offer!"

"Glad to hear it!" he chuckled and added playfully, "now, don't forget to tell your friends and co-workers when you return home about all the good times that you had in our foundation, ok?"

"Oh, you've earned all the free publicity that you're winking and nudging me for mister," she laughed reciprocally, "the merchandizes are outstanding, the people here are nice and the means of entertainment are almost endless!"

"That's our equation to how we have managed to stay on top in the tourism and entertainment business." he then brought up the question that had been bugging him, "so, what's the cause of this pleasantly unexpected visit?"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she exclaimed and picked up the bag that she had brought with her from the floor.

Gaignun raised a brow as she stood up, holding up with both hands the bag beckoningly with a slight blush clouding the bridge of her nose and followed suit as he got up and took it from her. He lowered himself to sit back after she did and took out the package inside and read out the bold capitalized dark fonts that he supposed was the content's name, "a foot massager?"

"Since it seems you spend most of the day glued to your office chair, I figured that you have a high risk of thrombosis, this will keep the blood in your feet from clotting and ensure it's circulating normally!"

Gaignun couldn't contain the redness that spread across his cheek and kept his eyes fixated on the box in his hands as she flashed him that tender smile, feeling a bit privileged; not even his own brother ever thought about all the health risks that were associated with his seated work while running a foundation of this magnitude, heck, he even pointed the finger at him at occasions, accusing him that he was intentionally dumping all the arduous work that he didn't feel like doing on him or the Godwin sisters with no consideration that the matters that he had selected for himself to attend to could in no way be handled by that red head's impulsion and recklessness. He murmured his appreciation, "how kind of you."

She chuckled as she rested her cheek on her palm and eyed him, "makes me wonder how you and our company's CEO manage to keep your physique in proportions despite of the nature of your work, you're using lipo-suction?"

"Of course not!" he replied a bit sharply than he intended to sound.

"I was just kidding there!" she waved both hands defensively, "most conglomerate owners like you that I've seen on TV were obese and bald and yet you look as fit as a movie star! In the case of Mr. Wilhelm, many people at the company are gossiping that besides lipo-suction, he might be using a special type of nanomachines that preserve his youth."

Gaignun held back the laugh that threatened to escape his throat as he heard the way she was talking about her boss behind his back and he wondered if his own employees were doing the exact same to him, he confessed, "I work out whenever I get the chance, but I'm also a biological weapon as you already know, unlike Jr. who often gets to show off his gunplay and acrobatic moves that he copies off those action movies that he's addicted to against the gnosis and the U-TIC organization, the only way I'm stuck with to satiate my lust for battle is via the EVS." he smiled to himself as he recalled how his brother sometime manages to talk him into playing tag in the virtual world, like the three of them used to do in their younger days in the institute.

Shion watched in fascination as she sipped the remainder in her cup as her host's eyes lowered with his mouth curving into that genuine smile as though his previous statement had unearthed a treasured memory and as she placed down her empty cup on the coffee table before her, she frowned as returned her hands on her lap as she eyed the plate of frosted cookies.

"Go ahead," he smirked as he interpreted that body language, "they look quite appetizing, but they're actually low in fat!"

Shion blushed, but reluctantly picked up one and obverted it from one side to another as she inquired playfully, "another method to keep you in shape?"

He chuckled as he noted the pout that wrinkled her peach-painted lips, "no, but when you get too many shareholders who are chronically suffering from heart diseases and such you should be mindful of what you serve them with, it's a good approach if you want to leave a favorable impression, you have no idea how long of a way little details like these could go."

_Because it wasn't always fun to get people to do as he says with his soothingly hypnotic voice that his father had exclusively bestowed him with for that very purpose._

"Wow, you're not so admired and successful in the business world for nothing!" Shion commented in astonishment and took a bite off the cookie and as her eyes spotted the darkening sky out of the view window, she bolted upright with a start, "Oh my God, I've lost track of time!"

"You have an appointment or something?" he inquired worriedly and offered, "I'll get my driver to take you wherever you should be present at."

"No, it's just I get to prepare dinner and I promised Jr. to cook sukiyaki tonight, do you have any idea how much time that dish takes to prepare?"

Gaignun rolled his eyes, that's right, ever since she cooked curry that night, she took it upon herself to nourish his household during her settlement with home-made meals and that got him to cancel the dinner orders with the Royal Orleans, well, he wasn't complaining since Shion's food was scrumptious and prepared with so much heart, not to mention he quite enjoyed watching her in an apron and barking at the others to give her a hand.

"Well I gotta go," she turned around to leave and tossed him a smile before she stepped out of the office, "don't overwork yourself!"

Gaignun eyed the closed double door for a moment before sighing as he gripped on his mouse and clicked on his unread mail, "I wonder if this what is like to have a mother...or a missus!"

He snickered at that last thought.

* * *

**A/N: Episode III filled me with the inspiration and enthusiasm that I needed to continue this fic. I must note that the rest of this story will not follow the events of Ep III since I've been aiming from the start for a happy ending for the two, but the history of the URTVs and the myraid of Xeno mysteries will still heavily influence the plot.**


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